A group of parents is preparing to take legal action against a controversial policy that bars student athletes from competing if they fail to meet minimum academic standards. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Korea Bizwire) – A group of parents is preparing to take legal action against a controversial policy that bars student athletes from competing if they fail to meet minimum academic standards, a measure aimed at fostering student-athletes who are also strong academically.
The Parents’ Alliance for South Korean Athletes has recently hired a lawyer to prepare an administrative lawsuit seeking to abolish the minimum academic achievement requirement, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency on August 27.
The alliance plans to file a joint lawsuit, collecting cases of student athletes who have been notified that they are prohibited from competing in the second semester due to the policy.
Their strategy involves first filing for an injunction to suspend the effectiveness of the policy, followed by a lawsuit requesting the cancellation of the Education Ministry’s ban on second-semester participation.
The minimum academic achievement policy restricts student athletes from participating in competitions if they fail to attain certain grades.
According to the School Sports Promotion Act, students whose first-semester grades fall below the standard (50% of the grade average for elementary school, 40% for middle school, and 30% for high school) are barred from competing in the second semester.
Similarly, those who fall short in the second semester are prohibited from competing in the first semester of the following year.
The first competition bans based on this year’s first-semester grades are set to take effect in the upcoming second semester. Some schools have reportedly already notified students of competition bans due to substandard grades.
A conference on the minimum academic achievement requirement taking place in February (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Kim Chang-woo, representative of the Parents’ Alliance, said, “Initially, we planned to proceed quickly with about five people, but we keep receiving calls from parents nationwide. In taekwondo alone, nearly 30 people have contacted us to participate as a group.”
He added, “We currently expect around 50 people to participate in total. We plan to proceed with a constitutional appeal after the lawsuit.”
The current policy particularly impacts middle school athletes, who have no recourse if their participation in sports competitions is restricted due to poor grades.
High school students, on the other hand, can have the restriction lifted by completing an additional basic academic skills program if their grades fall short.
Parents of middle school athletes argue that the current system, which offers no remedial options for those who fall short, is too harsh.
A ban on second-semester competition means they cannot participate in the following year’s National Junior Sports Festival qualifying rounds, making it impossible to build the track record necessary for advancing to the next level of education.
Critics also point out that while the 40% threshold may not seem high in general, some school districts have higher average grades, increasing the academic pressure on athletes in those areas.
Despite mounting criticism that the policy puts significant pressure on elite sports programs, the Education Ministry maintains the system, emphasizing the need for well-rounded education that balances physical, moral, and intellectual development.
The issue has also caught the attention of lawmakers. On July 29, Democratic Party representative Kang Deuk-gu proposed an amendment to the School Sports Promotion Act that would allow middle school athletes who fall short of the grade requirement to avoid competition bans through supplementary education.
The following day, People Power Party representative Seo Ji-young proposed an amendment to make the current mandatory ban discretionary and allow unrestricted participation in the next semester’s competitions upon completion of a basic academic skills program.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
